Designed more as an evolution than a complete overhaul, Nikon has introduced two new additions to its Z6 and Z7 mirrorless cameras. In this review, we'll look at the Z6 II, which is designed to be a more "consumer" friendly and versatile device compared to the Z7 II, which is primarily aimed at professional photographers.
There are a number of small updates that help fix some of the issues or problems with the original Z6, which add up to a pretty interesting proposition - especially if those issues bothered you in the first iteration.
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At the heart of the Z6 II is the exact same 24.5-megapixel back-illuminated CMOS sensor as its predecessor, but it now comes with promised improvements to autofocus, buffering, video, and now includes a secondary (SD) card slot.
Tested Features of Z6 MARK II
- slow-mo
- 4k video
- iso
- grains
- color tone
- W.B
- picture style
- blur
- bokeh
- low light
- picture quality
- touch screen
- auto light optimization
- burst shoot
- autofocus
- Sharpness
Z6 MARK II features a rating in Photography
- iso range: 10\10
- color tone: 9\10
- white balance: 9\10
- background blur: 10\10
- bokeh effect: 10\10
- grains coverage: 10\10
- highlights & shadows detail: 10\10
- autofocus: 10\10
- jpeg quality: 9\10
- continuous shooting speed: 10\10
- depth of field: 10\10
- live view photography: 9\10
- eye tracking: 10\10
- flashlight photography: 10\10
- HDR mode: 10\10
- Touch Screen Focus: 9\10
- sharpness: 10\10
- image stabilization: 9\10
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Key features of Z6 MARK II
- Announcement Date: 2020-10-14
- 25MP - Full-frame BSI-CMOS Sensor
- ISO 100 - 51200 ( expands to 50 - 204800)
- Nikon Z Mount
- Sensor-shift Image Stabilization
- 3.20" Tilting Screen
- 3690k dot Electronic viewfinder
- 14.0fps continuous shooting
- 4K (UHD) - 3840 x 2160 video resolution
- Built-in Wireless
- 705g. 134 x 101 x 70 mm
- Weather Sealed Body
Some of these improvements come thanks to the addition of an Expeed 6 processor – meaning the Z6 II (and Z7 II) now has two processors instead of one.
Along with the new models, some new accessories were announced at the same time – including a new battery grip and a new wireless remote control.
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At the time of writing, the Z6 II (body only) retails for £1,999, compared to £1,549 for the original Z6 (which remains on sale). Alternatively, you can pick up the Z6 II in several different kit configurations, including a 24-70mm f/4 lens for £2,549, or with an FTZ mount adapter (to use the Z6 II with any existing Nikon DSLR lenses you have) for £2,139. You can buy all three together (Z6 II, 24-70mm f/4 and FTZ) for £2,679. In contrast, the original Z6 will set you back £2,099 (+24-70mm), £1,649 (+FTZ) or £2,199 (+24-70mm & FTZ).
So overall, the Z6 II costs around £4-500 more than the Z6, depending on which kit package you buy it in. In this review, we'll try to find out if it's worth upgrading if you already have a Z6. , or if it's worth spending the extra money on a newer version if you're looking at these models for the first time.
The Nikon Z6 II is one of the best all-round cameras on the market for virtually every reason. From its overall performance and image quality to its durable build and of course the sub-$2,000 value, suffice it to say that no matter what kind of photography you do, you should probably consider the Z6 II. It's a professional full-frame mirrorless camera, period. From wedding photography to wildlife and landscape photography and video/cinema, the Z6 II could be the best choice for you.
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However, there are two options “should I buy this? factors that are even bigger than “what type of photography do you do?” that you are likely to consider. First: what if you already own a Nikon Z6; should you upgrade to Z6 II? Second, what if you are absolutely sure you want to buy this new generation Nikon Z mount? should you buy Z6 II or Z7 II?
Let's answer both of these questions now! SPOILER ALERT: If you can answer any of these questions that are relevant to you, then the final decision will make itself: All four of Nikon's 6- and 7-series cameras are good enough that if you like the overall system, including available lenses and user interface experience in general, then pressing the "add to cart" button will become a matter of course. The image quality and overall performance of all four cameras is just right. OR of course you can scroll down to the "Compared to the competition" section below for more information on how these cameras compare to their nearest Sony and Canon and other competitors.
If you shoot pretty much anything that involves action, then the improved autofocus tracking will make the Z6 II worth the upgrade over the Z6. While the original Z6 received a number of autofocus updates via firmware, updates that greatly improved the performance and implementation of its AF, the Z6 II is still going to be even better and will only get better in the future as Nikon commits to continued firmware update efforts.
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Traditionally, even though $2000 is far from cheap, it’s a bit of a sweet spot for many camera companies and photographers. Lots of cameras around this mark have high-end features and don’t skimp on much compared to $3000+ flagships, making them a good value proposition for both hobbyists and professionals. The Nikon Z6 II is no exception.
In fact, the Z6 II is arguably the most important camera in Nikon’s lineup today. Photographers who buy a camera at the Nikon Z6 II’s level usually don’t stop at the camera and kit lens. Nikon’s entire ecosystem of high-end lenses, flashes, and other accessories depends on the sales of the Z6 II. That can’t necessarily be said of cameras like the Nikon Z50 or even the Nikon Z5, which target a broader audience who may only ever buy one or two lenses.
No wonder the Nikon Z6 II’s competition is so fierce; almost every camera company depends on this type of photographer to some extent. At the moment, there is particularly close competition from Sony and Canon (with the Sony A7 III, Canon EOS R, and Canon EOS R6), which we will compare throughout this review. Other companies like Panasonic, Fuji, Pentax, and Olympus also have cameras around this price point, although not all of them are full-frame or mirrorless.
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The camera isn’t the only equipment that matters, either. Before you decide on the Nikon Z6 II, you need to make sure that Nikon’s lens lineup suits your needs. With a total of 16 lenses for the Z system at the time of this review, Nikon’s native mirrorless lens lineup isn’t as large as that of Sony, Olympus, or Fuji. Considering that the Nikon Z system is so much newer than the others, it isn’t too surprising, but that’s little comfort if you need a lens that Nikon doesn’t have. (You can fill in some gaps by adapting non-native lenses, such as with Nikon’s FTZ adapter, but this is not a permanent solution.)
So, how well does the Nikon Z6 II meet all these challenges? Further, is it a meaningful upgrade over the prior generation Z6? This review, with our extensive field and lab tests, answers those questions and more.
processing speed and video capabilities clearly speak in favor of the Z6 II. In fact, aside from a very slight increase in camera weight and size, every feature of the Z6 II matches or exceeds that of the Z6 II. Nikon has not gone backwards in any area.
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One improvement we're particularly excited about is the addition of a second memory card slot to the Z6 II. The original Z6 and Z7 only took one card (XQD, although it is also compatible with CF Express), while the Z6 II has a second slot dedicated to SD cards. We plan to use the SD card slot as a backup rather than an overflow, but both options are available in the Z6 II.
As for the other improvements on the Z6 II, some may seem small individually, but they add up. For example, the Z6 II's jump from 10 FPS to 12 FPS isn't much on its own, but combined with the larger buffer (124 rather than 35 lossless 12-bit RAW images), it makes the Z6 II a significantly better camera. for action photography than its predecessor.
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Video shooters will be pleased that the Z6 II can now record 4K video at 60 frames per second instead of 30 (albeit with a 1.5x crop). This allows slow-motion recording without switching to 1080p. The Z6 II also adds some other useful video features: Eye AF, longer battery life for video, and HLG/HDR output via the HDMI port. The previous Z6 was already an excellent camera for video work (and is even a secondary filming camera for our YouTube channel), but the Z6 II really took things up a notch.
